Hi. I am new to Folksy and have just started adding some of my original prints into LucyGell shop. I have a couple of questions. The first is about selling cards. I have a handful of blank inside greeting cards in my product range. They are all reproductions of my original prints. My initial understanding was that I cannot sell these on Folksy as I have not made them myself although they are of the images that I have created myself and when I get them there is obviously the element of foldering them, adding envelopes, cellophane and my sticker etc which is a task I do myself. I noticed several other sellers are selling cards that appear to be produced in the same way. Can somebody clarify the rules for me to avoid me adding them and then having to remove them?
My second question is about product value. My prints sell at typical prices around £85 at shows and in galleries. I see, however, very little in prints around that price, other products seem much cheaper even original limited editions like mine. Many are also smaller. Will my prints sell in this environment at that price or do I need to rethink listing smaller items that perhaps cost less? Will appreciate any guidance on either question. Thanks. Lucy
I can answer your first question for you. You can sell your cards on Folksy, not a problem at all, You may not have manufactured the cards, but they are of your original design, so that’s fine
Hi,
you are allowed to sell items that are of ‘original design’ - this clause allows artists to sell prints of their work (printed onto anything they like such as mugs as well as cards) it would also allow me as a jeweller to outsource eg the casting or 3D printing of my design as I don’t have the facilities to do that at home.
Pricing is always a difficult one but if your work normally sells around £85 then that is what I would price it at here and yes maybe add some smaller / cheaper items that could provide people with an entry point to start a collection before working their way up to something more expensive when money allows. Whether they will sell will depend a bit on how much promotion you put into it - my crystal ball really isn’t that good.
Good luck
Sasha
Hello Lucy and Welcome Beautiful work - I love Mr Tom
Pricing is always tricky to say the least. To be honest I think there are lot of prints on here that are underpriced - however! it is not my business to tell people what they should charge for their work. I know how much work goes into the etching process and looking at the size and the fact that they are limited editions and I don’t think your prices are unreasonable. How well they will sell on Folksy I really don’t know.
I also think a lot of people undercharge for cards e.g I’ve seen prices as low as £2.50 or £3.50. If I go to WH Smith and buy something mass produced this is an acceptable price but here on Folksy where it is original artwork - reardless of whether it is a reproduction of an original piece or not I think people should charge more. I would quite happly pay £4.50 or up to £5.50 for something hand printed (greeting card).
Again it is not my business to tell people what to charge, but undervaluing work affects us all. People come here because they want something unique and handmade if they want to pay mass produced prices they would shop eslewhere. Sorry to be a bit ranty
I’ve just pinned ‘walkies’ to my dog related board to start pointing people here for you - just a warning it can take a while for shops to build up momentum so don’t give up if it doesn’t happen overnight.
Don’t apologise As I said it’s really none of my business how people run their shops - if it works for you well done I hope I haven’t offended anyone - sorry if I have.
I find that people don’t want to pay a lot for my handmade cards, my highest is £4.00 (that’s for a large 7 x 10 inch card), it is annoying that people don’t apppreciate the time spent on handmade products
I think there is a market here for cards - I sell photographic cards at £2.60 each.
I wouldn’t say I sell loads of them, but they’re definitely a steady, albeit slow seller.
There is definitely a market for cards and I would say if someone really likes your design, they will pay what you ask for it. Re your prints, I would stick to your guns on that one.
The problem if you underprice them on Folksy just because it appears your peers are doing so, it will affect all those you sell offline as people might come here, and if they see they can buy on Folksy for much cheaper, they will be annoyed they have then in their eyes paid over the odds offline. Unfortunately, I don’t think people would think - great, I’ll buy a few more! They will just get annoyed and go elsewhere. With original art, you can in theory price differently according to which platform you are on, but I tend to play it safe and have all of my prices the same regardless of platform. I save the special offers for offline. Hope that helps!
All I can say with regard to pricing, is please don’t undersell yourself. Customers will pay if they can see the value in the product. I bought a printed personalised card for £8.00 this week, there are plenty of people out there who will pay for beautifully made unique handmade cards.
Agreed @millyandpip and also these kind of cards are not throwaway items like a mass produced one you buy from a high street retailer. They are pieces of art which could be put in a frame afterwards - so really the buyer is getting 2 for 1 A beautiful card which can then become a framed print and be kept forever
Yup I have framed cards and postcards on my walls bought as mini works of art with the intention of never sending them. Sometimes you need mini works of art to go inbetween the big ones and cards are the prefect way to do that.
Thanks Lucy and sorry for the late reply (birthday weekend and work switch off for the first time in a while!). Good to hear your thoughts here. I will get more work up here later this week and hopefully bring some people in with some of my smaller cheaper work in the hope that I can interest them in other things too. Lucy
Thanks for pinning Sasha. Yes I understand the time thing and will be patient with that whilst continuing to promote once I upload a bit more to the shop later this week. Lucy
Thanks Heidi, yes I totally agree here. Prices only work when they are the same whatever the outlet. Think I need to be clever with creating a range of products so that I have something for every budget in varying sizes. If only there were enough hours in the day!
Thanks Sarah. I sell mine for £2.50 at shows so I think I will put them on Folksy at the end of the week and see what response I get. Understand the thing that people are selling about pricing higher but they are a slow seller as you say and going much hugher unless they are handprinted and very different can make them much slower. I am happy with slow but steady if it works here
